HVAC blower: used OEM or new aftermarket?

[carlito]

Has anyone had success with any of the cheap, aftermarket fans? I found a few posts saying some are loud. I ended up getting one for $38 from amazon but am having second thoughts about installing now. Don't want to pay ~$300 for a brand new one and not seeing any in the classifieds at the moment.

So is used OEM the safer bet?

Also, does the same question apply to resistors? Are aftermarket parts okay for these?

[agentsmith988]

Get an OEM Mahle-Behr blower from German Auto Supply (https://www.germanautosupply.com/MAHLE-BEHR/6/PAB-820-021-C). I just bought one from there a few weeks ago. The Audi logo was literally just scratched off. Not bad for less than $70!

The aftermarket blowers are junk. I had one and returned it because it was so much louder than the OEM blower.

[carlito]

Get an OEM Mahle-Behr blower from German Auto Supply (https://www.germanautosupply.com/MAHLE-BEHR/6/PAB-820-021-C). I just bought one from there a few weeks ago. The Audi logo was literally just scratched off. Not bad for less than $70!

The aftermarket blowers are junk. I had one and returned it because it was so much louder than the OEM blower.

Thanks for the link.

That part number is slightly different from ours: PAB820021C vs 8K1820021C. The actual part matching our spec is https://www.germanautosupply.com/MAHLE-BEHR/6/8K1-820-021-C but it's just over $130.

I get that parts listed for Porsche might be compatible but on the product page it lists models that might be more inline with B8.5.

Did you install yours already? Are you B5 or B5.5?

[agentsmith988]

Ah looks like you're a B8 from the part number you're using. I have a B8.5.

8K1820021C: B8
8T1820021: B8.5

When I purchased the blower motor from them back in December they listed 8T1820021 as cross-compatible. Interesting that they're not showing it now but it still comes up when you search for 8T1820021. You could always contact them before ordering.

And yes, I installed it a few weeks ago. It's been working great.

[carlito]

Ah ok, that makes sense now.

Did you also replace the resistor when you did the blower? I got fault codes for both but not sure if one is causing the other.

[Iwantyourcar]

Ah ok, that makes sense now.

Did you also replace the resistor when you did the blower? I got fault codes for both but not sure if one is causing the other.

I originally bought an aftermarket resistor and blower. The blower worked but made the loudest noise I had ever heard out of a blower. I ended up buying a used blower on ebay from a reputable parts seller. So far so good. Sucks having to do the job twice, thankfully it's an easy one. Do not buy a cheapo from amazon, ebay or anywhere. Get German like noted earlier in this post.

[agentsmith988]

Ah ok, that makes sense now.

Did you also replace the resistor when you did the blower? I got fault codes for both but not sure if one is causing the other.

I didn't replace the resistor but I didn't have any faults or fan control issues. Just some squeaks from the blower wearing out.

[Smac770]

https://wolfautoparts.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=8k1820021c&cat=

I was getting the blower error for a while, then it turned into a blower and controller error. So I replaced the blower, since the early blowers are a known common failure point, and both errors went away.
The base of the motor is molded a little differently if you have an early no-rev or A-rev, but the cover panel still fits.